Leftwich

"Phillip, how nice to see you again." The young woman said. She was dressed simply. Her brown mousy hair pulled back and a cloth placed over it. Her face was relatively clean except for a smudge under her right eye. Her outfit was a normal wool dress and a small scarf to keep the wind away from her bare neck.

"Tara, how are you?" Phillip, a taller man with light brown hair pushed back away from his face. His blue eyes shining in the light of the lone candle.

"You seek knowledge of your familys future, do you not?" She asked taking a sip of wine from a golden goblet. He nodded, he focused on his hands.

"You know the fee." She held out her hand. Phillip sighed and shoved his hand in his pocket, taking out a small piece of paper.

"There. There is the deed to my land in Prospers." She smiled and looked at the paper.

"Very well." Slowly, she spread the cards across the small table before them. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander. After a few moments of silence, words began to fall gracefully out of her mouth."There will be a time, when families are dying and trust is virtually non-existent, when a child will be born of both the purest good and the purest evil.
The lands of which it shall rule will rejoice in the birth. This babe will bring wealth and riches to the people. To get to this point however, there will be lies, deceit, infidelity and," She paused. Quickly she opened her eyes and looked straight at the man. "I am sorry. I can not continue this reading." She took the paper and handed it to Phillip.

"I do not want the payment. In fact, you need to leave, now." She stood up and walked to a door behind the chair she was sitting in. "I am sorry your majesty, there is nothing more I can do for you here." With that she walked out of the door.

"WAIT! TARA!" He ran to the door, slamming it open. "Tara?" he asked. He looked at the small empty room. "Damn it!" He turned around and walked out of the small house to his carriage waiting in front.

"How did it go sir?" A tall man standing by the door asked.

"I want that woman tracked down and HUNG!" He jumped in the carriage and slammed the door, the tall man opening the tiny door and joining Phillip.

The carriage started to move. Slow and bumpy at first but it soon became smooth and calm. When they arrived at the castle, a short woman awaited them at the stairs. Her face was grave and she spoke.

"Your majesty, we have just received word that, the Prince, Nathaniel, has died."

"This can not be true." Phillip said, stopping on the step before the woman. "Katrina, tell me this isnt true. Tell me Catherine set you up to this." Katrina shook her head.

"Your wife is in her room sir. She hasnt eaten all day."

"I must go consul her." With that, he straightened his posture and entered the castle.
When he entered the room, he immediately saw his son. Not Nathaniel, his beloved first born, but William.

"What are you doing here?" Phillip asked the pain was etched deep in his voice. William turned from where he was sitting by his mother.

"Father I,"

"Get out." Phillip whispered.

"But father,"

"GET OUT!" William rushed out of the room. His outfit bloodstained and he smelled of death.

"Why did you do that Phillip?" Catherine asked from the bed. Phillip rushed to her side.

"Darling." He started. "That boy is not our son. That monster is a murderer. He killed our son."

~Later~

"William? What a pleasant surprise! I thought you was in the mortal realm with your brother fightin in them nasty wars." The woman stood at the doorway to The Autumn Inn and stared, her hazel eyes lighting a fire in Wills heart that lay cold and dormant in his chest. She was small and her stomach looked as though it was about to pop. She had brown hair that curled slightly on the ends by her back.

"Jewels?" A deep voice yelled from the stairs. "Who is at the door? Do they know what time it is?" She sighed.

"Well come on in there Will, I fix you up somethin to eat." William shook his head vigorously.

"No, I cant eat." He plopped down in the chair that sat next to the door. "I dont even want to live anymore." He put his head down in shame.

"What happened?" Julia asked, sitting in the chair that sat idly beside his.

"He died!" The tears were streaming down his bloodstained face. "Julia, He is DEAD!"

"Who is? Your father?" She slowly rubbed his back.

"There was a piece of wood, from one of the trenches. A bomb, landed and, the wood went
right through his heart!" William screamed. "HES DEAD JULIA! ITS ALL MY FAULT! I SAW IT COMING! I COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING! ANYTHING!" There was a loud thudding on the stairs. Julia looked up and saw that her husband, a great man, though balding, was coming to join the festivities, along with him their stood every guest, standing and watching as their countries Prince sat in front of them.

"Daniel. We must get him out of here. Take him to go get something to drink and I will be there shortly." Will was brought up and right arm was thrown around Daniels shoulders.

Daniel walked his friend into the empty pub and closed the door.

"Go take a seat over there Will." Pointing to the chairs that surrounded the fireplace. "I am sure there a some embers left." Daniel left out a loud sigh and walked out of the door while

Will made his way slowly to the seats. He sat in the one closest to the warm and looked at the dying embers, tears disappearing, and hate taking their place in his eyes.

"We will have many things to talk about in the morning." Daniel said walking back in with three pieces of wood held in his hands. "For now however." He placed them one by one on the ashes of their fallen comrades. "We will speak of good things. I dont wish to pour salt on an open wound." Then Daniel spoke softly to the dry wood, which immediately burst into flames.

Turning, he rubbed his palms together and a cup of red liquid and another of brown appeared in his hands. He handed the cup filled with the red sticky liquid to Will who, reluctantly, took it from Daniels grasp.

"Now, tell me how it goes in the mortal realm. How are the women?" Daniel sat across from his friend.

"The wars have taken us from the women, but when we were with them they were, fragile?" He questioned his own words.

"Oh, well, tell me of the wars."

"They are different. They fight brutally." William looked at the fire as he spoke, unmoving. "Men were screaming in pain, the blood was everywhere. The lust to kill, to feed, was uncontrollable."

"Speaking of which, I will get Julia to get you a change of clothes and a warm bath." William turned his gaze from the flames to his friends eyes.

"Thank you, but I dont think I can stay here to long. If I know King Philip as well as I do, he will send someone after me soon, if not already." Daniel laughed. The sound emanating from deep in his chest.

"You're his son, the final heir, he wouldnt kill you."

"Are you so sure?" Will asked. His cold eyes piercing Daniels. With that the door to the pub opened to allow the woman of the house in.

"That was exhausting." She said fanning herself with a dishrag that had made its home around her waste earlier before.

"Daniel, I must leave. I cant do this to you. I cant put harm on your family and those civilians upstairs."William said slowly standing up.

"No. We can handle ourselves Will. You need to get some rest." Daniel walked over and put a hand on his friends shoulder.

"I can go without it for a few more days."

"As long as you're under this roof, you must abide by my rules, the first one being dont allow some smelly old friend to leave under any circumstance." He said smiling. "Come. We will get you cleaned up shall we?" Daniel nodded to his wife who made her way to a small door behind the bar. Daniel led Will in the same direction.

"Where are we going?" Will asked.

"Well, we said we would help you, that means protecting you. Jewels has a room set up just for this occasion. Charms and potions EVERYWHERE." He emphasized the word smiling as he entered the small office, then went through another door and another finally ending with a wall.

"Where do we go from here?" Will asked. Julia smiled.

"Down." She clapped her hands together and the floor disappeared, sending them hurdling down a long chute. Julia was gone leaving Will and Daniel alone, screaming as they made their way into the depths of darkness.

"Took you two long enough." Julia said with a smile plastered too her face.

"You HAD to send us down the chute?" Daniel asked, dusting himself off as he stood. Then he looked down at his companion. "You all right Will?"

"Fine." Will stayed on the ground trying to catch his breath which somehow ended up somewhere in China and wasnt ready to come home.

"I thought the dead didnt NEED to breathe." Julia said.

"The dead dont." Daniel said.

"Then whats wrong?" Julia asked eyeing her husband.

"Do we REALLY have time for this dear?" Daniel walked over to his wife.

"We are fine now. The room is only past that wall. We are safe and have plenty of time so tell me." She put her hands on her stomach and leaned against the cold stone wall. Daniel ran his hand over his smooth head and looked at Will who had pasted out.

"Lets get him situated and I will tell you." She nodded and walked over to Will, grabbing his legs. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING!?!?" Daniel yelled as his wife began to drag the man who lay unconsciously on the stones.

"I am getting him situated." She said smugly as she turned the corner. Daniel sighed. He knew she was stubborn and that he couldnt win, whether he wanted her to carry a grown man or not. When she returned, he motioned for her to take a seat beside him on a small wooden bench that sat in a corner. She did as she was told, once again folding her hands on top of her swollen stomach.

"So, why does he need to breathe? I thought he was a vampire." Julia laid her head on her husbands shoulder and listened to his heart as he breathed in and out.

"Well, darling. You are half right." He played with her hair and softly caressed her cheek. "This isnt known by everyone and if it was, the world was we know it will be thrown into chaos." She drew her head back and looked him in the eyes. He smiled. "Well, the royal families world anyway." She was happy with his revised answer and laid her head back down.

He once again played with her hair as she listened to his heart in the silence. Then he stood and faced her. "Jewels, William isnt a full vampire. Neither was Nathaniel." She sat on the bench stunned. Daniel gave up waiting on any form of expression and continued. "Their mother wasnt exactly what you would call pristine. She, in fact, is a **nomad." Julia gasped.

"A NOMAD! I thought they all died in the Gadsden Wars."

"No. That is just what the press put out." He laughed. "Those papers cause nothing but trouble."

"But, nomads cause havoc and such, dont they? I mean I have never met one but they must not be the kindest of folk. Always wanting to start wars and such," She paused at the sudden realization. "AND ONE IS ON THE THRONE!?!" Daniel nodded softly.

"If the public knew how Nathaniel died, they would suspect things. We all know that, well, lets just say a human bullet doesnt work on most vampires." Julia quickly covered her mouth.

"He is in DANGER Daniel! What are we going to do!?"

"What we are doing now." He took the seat next to his wife. "I think we need to send him to the mortal realm. He will be safer there." Julia nodded in agreement. Then there was a knock from above.

"Someones at the front door." Julia sighed. "I guess I should go get it." She stood and was quickly followed by Daniel. "I want you to stay here with Will and when he wakes, make sure he is ready to be sent off." Daniel nodded and embraced his wife.

"Be careful please. I dont want to lose you or the baby." He let go only enough to look into her eyes. "I love you." She smiled.

"You act like this is the first time I have done this." He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips the released her. "I will be right back all right?" He nodded and with in a blink, she was gone. Daniel walked into the room where William was laying on the stone floor.

"Will" Daniel leaned down and lightly slapped the side of Williams face, to no avail. He sat there, deciding what to do. Then, there was a crash from above followed by the screams of the customers. Daniel stood, then a sudden crash came from the room in which they all had entered from.

"Daniel?" Julia ran into the room. Her husband grabbed her.

"Jewels, what happened?"

"That isnt important. Daniel, the baby is coming, right now." She breathed. He looked down at her wet skirt, took a deep breath and rushed her to the bed in the small room where Will lay unconscious.

"The baby, right now!?" Daniel's hands mover everywhere, from his wife to his balding head. Finally, he stopped and grabbed his wife by the shoulders. There was another thud from above as well as more screaming. "Lay down." He told her. She did as she was told, finding the fact that the ground was cold and hard of no importance. She began breathing harder and faster. Her face was red and soaked from the sweat the pain coursing through her evoked.

William walked into the room, his hand on the back of his head, rubbing slightly where a bump had formed.

"Daniel, whats going on?" Will looked at Daniel who was on his knees, his hands up Julia's skirt while Julia lay on the ground, panting, he face red and contorted.

"William, come here, quickly!" Daniel said, barely lifting his eyes off of what was happening to look at Will who rushed to his side.

"JEWELS." William said eagerly. "You're having your baby?!" She let out a scream as she pushed hard.

"I SEE A HEAD!" Daniel said excitedly. "Now, William, go in that other room and grab a knife and blanket, QUICKLY BOY!" William got to his feet and was back within mere seconds with
a small knife and a wool blanket.

Julia's head feel on to the stones and a small cry was heard from under her skirt.

"Give me those." Daniel said; ignoring what had happened to his wife.

"But Daniel," Will said, handing him the items, his eyes focused on Julia who lay unconsciously on the floor.

"Will. She is gone." Daniel said, not looking up from his new child. William nodded. "We have bigger problems to worry about right now. We do not wish to let Julia's hard work to go to waist do we Will?" Daniel looked up from the screaming baby.

"What do you mean?" He asked Daniel. Another crash came from upstairs in reply.

"William, they know we are here. Magic such as this," He motioned to the room around them. "Doesn't last when..." he looked at his wife; a solemn tear fell from his cheek onto the now quiet baby who was rapped in the blanket. "Now," Daniel got up and put the baby awkwardly into William's arms. "You need to leave." He walked into the other room; bottles were moved around and some were heard being smashed to the ground.

"Will!" Daniel called from the room. William began walking, slower then normal, afraid to hurt the child in his arms.

"Here," Daniel said, walking to the newborn and Will. He was holding a bowl full of a green paste. "This." He said, answering Williams confused look. "Will help her with the transition."

"You dont want me to take her to the human realm do you?" Daniel stopped stirring the goop and looked at William in the eyes.

"Will. Do you really think she has a better chance at survival her then there?" William grew
frustrated.

"You know as well as I do that she wont live! No commoner is able to."

"But she is with you, and this," He rubbed the substance on her forehead. "Will help her."

"What if it doesnt work?"

"I would rather have her die quick and painlessly then tortured." Daniel bent down and kissed her. Voices were heard from the other room; Daniel looked up into William's eyes. "Do it for me, for Julia, for Jessica." He said. Will looked into the hazel eyes of the baby who looked back at him. He nodded. "Thank you. Now go; quickly." Daniel said leaving the room and entered one filled with men who looked eager to see him.

"Are you Daniel Oliver?" A large man in black armor with a large red symbol on his chest asked.

"Who are you to ask?" Daniel asked looking at four other men, who were not as large, standing behind the man.

"I am General Walter Summers." He shifted slightly. "Mr. Oliver, you are her by under arrest for holding a criminal of the state."

"General Summers. I have lost everything I hold dear in the woman laying at your feet. You are going to have to kill me here, or leave me alone." The men behind Walter laughed.

"Are those our only choices?" A man who had blood smeared on his face asked with a smile. The General held his hand up for silence which was quickly granted by his men.

"Mr. Oliver. I have thought this over and I will have to take you up on your offer." He grabbed his sword's handle and quickly unsheathed it. "A Pleasure doing business with you Mr. Oliver."

~Will~

William starred at the child in his arms and she was wide awake starring back.
"Well Miss Jessica, this is it. You will either live a nice life in the mortal realm, or die trying." Will said; the baby blinking slightly in reply.

With that, he leapt. The child remained quiet, the sounds, smells and light not bothering her new eyes, nose and ears.

William looked down at his cargo, smiled, and began to laugh.

"YOU'RE ALIVE!" He jumped up and down, spinning the baby in his arms. "I can't believe it! You're alive! You have done what no one else could Jessica!"

She began to cry from all of the excitement, and hunger. William stopped and once more cradled the babe.

"I bet you're hungry." He looked around, finding corn, corn and more corn. "Where am I?" He asked himself. Before a second was over, he made it to the edge of the field and found an old gravel road. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to follow it huh?" He looked down and the now sleeping Jessica and began walking, slowly, due to his new charge.

"Do you have any milk?" William asked the woman behind the counter at Idaville Grocery; a tiny store full of only essentials. The woman had slightly gray hair pulled up and out of her face and she was reading a magazine. She looked up and immediately went stiff.

"What are you wearing?" She asked. William looked down at his old uniform which was stained and torn in a few places.

"Madam, I really need your help. A friend of mine asked me to take care of his child. She passed away in child birth and I just, really need help." She stood, straitening her dress and walked towards Will, grabbing the child from his arms.

"I didnt mean that. I dont mind helping a solder in uniform, no matter how dirty. I was wondering what a Prince was doing wearing it. Let alone in Indiana." William looked at the middle aged woman strangely. "However, I am surprised she survived. Not many do." She began to bounce Jessica in her arms.

"Miss, how do you know who I am?" William asked. She looked around and turned around walking into a small room.

"Follow me." She said and Will did as he was told.

The room was small. A tiny wooden table sat in the middle and was surrounded by shelves vials and bowls. She laid the baby down on the table and began looking through the rows of orange, green, red and blue vials.

"Prince William, I will tell you that she is not the first to escape Leftwich."

"Escape?" William asked, walking to stand by the baby. The woman turned around and smiled. In her hands were a few white cloths and two pins.

"You aren't really that blind are you Prince?" She unwrapped the baby from her warm blanket and began whipping her off with one of the cloths. "I assume you arent considering risking this ones life to get here." She pointed to Jessica.

"Is it really that bad?" William sat in an empty corner, putting his hands on his knees.

"For the Nomads it is." The woman said. William was alerted by her words.

"I thought they were all..."

"Murdered? Most were. The rest of us found our ways to leave. Leftwich didn't want us anymore, so we left." She began wrapping one of the cloths around the baby's bottom.

"I didn't know." William said.

"Of course you didn't. No one did." She wiped her hands on the last cloth and lifted the child, bouncing her once more. "Although, most thought we were evil creatures. To be honest, most were. The rest of us were just like everyone else, but you know all about that don't you
William?" His eyes went from hers to the floor in shame. "You know, it isn't anything to be ashamed of." He nodded slightly, not knowing what else to do.

"William, this baby is sick." She said. William stood quickly.

"WHAT?" He yelled. She quietly shhhd him, pointing to the baby. "She looks just fine to me!"

"She isn't. Listen." She walked to William and lifted the baby up to his ear. "Her heart is off, and she is having trouble breathing."

"What can we do?"

"Well, we can wait until death comes for her, or, slow her down."

"Slow her down?" William asked. She placed Jessica in his arms and walked around, looking through all the vials until finding the one she liked. It was blue with tiny white dots moving slowly through the concoction.

"With this. It is a mixture of roots, herbs and such. It will slow down the aging process. She will be put into a coma and awake the same as she is, age wise anyway."

"For how long?"

"I would say about eighty, maybe ninety years at the most."

"What will we do with her?" He asked.

"I have friends who would be more then happy to watch her." She smiled.

"Why should I trust you? I don't even know your name." William held tighter to Jessica.

"My name is Mattie. Mattie Wellsboro. Does the child have a name?"

"Her name is Jessica, the daughter of Daniel and Julia."

"So she was named after her mother?" William looked at her curiously. "I just assumed, with two "Js" and all." She gripped the vial in her hands.

"I don't know. Daniel had named her just before we left. Now, I fear, he is dead."

"Well, what would you like to do? I promise I wont hurt her." William sighed, knowing that no matter what he did, it didn't seem to be right.

"Give me the vial." He said, taking it from her hands. He opened it, the smell tingling in his nostrils. It didn't smell deadly. He looked at Mattie who looked back at him. Taking a deep breath, he put it in the baby's mouth. He waited. Nothing happened.

"How long will it take?" William asked. She looked at the child who fallen asleep in his arms.

"Now, I will take her to my friends who live just down a ways in Burnettsville." She looked at him with sympathetic eyes. "Dont worry William. I promise you. If you come back in ninety years, she will be well and alive. You have my word." He nodded, handing her the child and walked out of the store. Not having the power to turn and look at her again.

"Now, Daniel's Jessica," She laughed slightly at the sleeping child, "Lets go find you a home."